Suspension-bracket



(N0Mode1.)

' G. KNAPP.

Suspension Bracket.

I lvm-235,363. Patented |)@c-.1,1.,18sc

4M' Mg'.

n. Perm. 'F'HoT-umuanipnan. wAsH UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GARDNER KNAPP, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUSPENSION-BRACKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of .Letters Patent No. 235,363, datedDecember 14, 1880.

Application filed September 10, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it 'may concern Bc it known that I, GARDNER KNAPP, a citizenof the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesexand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Suspen sion-Brackets; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others'skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specication.

This invention relates to improvements in spring-reels for suspendingbird-cages, hanging pots, &c.;` and it consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of devices, as will hereinafter be morefully shown and described, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, inV which- Figure l represents a front elevation with thecover of the-apparatus shown as removed. Fig. 2 represents a rearview oftheV apparatus with a portion of the case removed. Fig. 3 represents avertical section on the line A B, shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 representsa vertical section on the line C D, seen from w in Fig. 3.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on thedifferent parts of the drawings.

a is the case or support of the reel; and a' is a corresponding cover,between which parts the interior mechanism is preferably inclosed,although, if so desired, the cover a may be entirely dispensed with andthe form of the case or supportal may be changed to a bar or bracket tobe directly secured to a wall or ceiling with-v out departing from themain features of my invention.

a is a suitable loop, by means of which the reel-case or support for themechanism can be suspended.

bis the station ary pivot, that is tightly driven into or otherwisefirmly secured to the case or support a, as shown. Around said pivot bis loosely movable the spool or reel c, around which is wound the cordd, one end of which is fastened to the. said reel c, and having itsouter end, d', projecting outside of the reeli case, to allow thebird-cage or other object to be readily attached and suspendedtherefrom.

e is a coiled spring, one end of which is attached to the reel c, andthe other end to the stationary pivot b, for the purpose ofautomatically winding up the cord upon the said reel when the weight ofthe article suspended from the cord is gradually relieved, and this isthe sole function of said spring, as it has nothing to do whatever withsustaining the article suspended on the cord, which is accomplished bymeans of africtional device arranged and constructed as follows:

To the face of the reel c, in an annular recess thereof, is secured theratchet-ringf, as shown. g is a pawl-plate having recesses, in which thepawls g g g g are loosely movable in and out from the center of saidpawl-plate, the outer ends of which pawls engage into the ratchet g whenmoved by their own gravity to their extreme positions, as shown by thelower and left-hand pawls in Fig. 4. On the face of the pawl-plate g islaid a washer, h, upon which rests a frictional spring-plate, i, asshown.

k is a screw that passes through the springplate t', washer h, andpawl-plate g, and is screwed into the stationary pivot b, as shown7 bywhich arrangement a frictional resistance is obtained between the faceof the pivot b and the rear of the pawl-plate g when one or more of itspawls y g are locked to the ratchet-ring f, and tension is brought tobear on the cord or tape d, and on this frictional resistance I dependentirely for suspending the desired bird-cage or other object, suchfrictional resistance being adjustable according to the weight of thesuspended object by tightening or loosening the screw 7s.

It will be seen that one or more of the pawls g g are automaticallylocked to the ratchetring j' as long as the cord or tape d is kept tautby the suspended object, which is thus held by the friction between thepawl-plate g and stationary pivot b,- but as soon as the tension on thecord or taped is gradually relieved, as may be occasioned by gentlyraising the suspended object, the spring e acts on the reel c to turn itaround to wind up the slack of the cord or tape d, during which motionof the reel its ratchet-ring f passes freely by the tapering or inclinedends of the pawls g' g.

IOG

To prevent the cord or tape I from tiyiug up l quentlythe reclccannot beaccidentally wound and Winding;r too quickly on thc rcel c, in case i upmore than one revolution. the object suspended should be instantauc-Iclaimously removed or the cord or tape I be accil. In combination, thecase a, stationary 5 dentally broken, I employ a pawl, I, hinged topivot I), reel c, cord or tape d, spring e, ratchet 25 the said reel c,in combination with a notchf, pawl-plate y, pawls g g g'g', spring-platei, piu or recess, l', in the upper part ofthe case, and adjustablescrewk, as and for the purpose as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by whicharraugei described. ment the said pawl l is caused to lock auto- L. Incombination, the case a, stationary xo matically into its notch or pinIl by the cenpivot 11,1'eel c. cord or tape d, spring e, ratchet 3otrifugal force acting on the free cud of said if, pawl-plate y, pawls ggg g', spring-plate i, pawl, when the reel c is quickly rotated in the ladjustable screw It, locking-pawl I, with its manner above described.When thc object l notch-pin or recess l', as and for the purposesuspended is gently raised or lowered the said l set forth anddescribed.

15 locking-pawl will rest within its recess c on l In testimonywhereot'I have al'ixed my sig- 35 the reel c; but when the reel isquickly libera nature in presence of two witnesses. ted the centrifugalforce will throw out the GARDNER KNAPI. pawl I, which will be lockedinto the recess or Witnesses: pin l as soon as thc said pawl reaches itsup- ALBAN ANDRN.,

2o per position, as shown in Fig. 4. and cousei HENRY UHADBOURN.

